Ashado

[Laura]

How tall is Ashado? Im just wondering because Storm Cat is 16 hands.

I bet that Ashado's foals are going to be awesome at the race track.
I hope she will be a good mommy to her babies.

~Laura~

[nferro9925]

And is anyone surprisedx that Storm Cat is her first mate?

[Sam]

And is anyone surprisedx that Storm Cat is her first mate?

Well, at this point I'd say it's a case if you want one you better do it fast since he may only have 3-5 years left in him.

And no, I'm not. However, truth is that there aren't that many stallions in that price range you CAN breed her (or any mare like her) to unless you want to be accused of "underbreeding" her. Never mind that they are clearly breeding for the commercial market.

[Ruffian]

Somehow I don't think they are breeding for the commercial market, didn't Darley buy her? They usually breed to race.

[jagger]

Commercial or track? It does seem remarkable that if she is being bred for the track that the best possible sire, with the input of many minds and systems to evaluate to exhaustion all the possibilities, just happens to be the one with the 500K pricetag.

What percentage of ALL the mares would be advised, if price was not a consideration, to be bred to Storm Cat if the goal was to breed the best possible foal to take to the track?

So, the basic question for all the breeding genius/gurus on this forum is, "Is Storm Cat the BEST possible stallion for Ashado - if they are not looking to breed commercially"?

[Ruffian]

I think it is more of we just paid $9 mill she is going to Storm Cat because he is the best... they've bought Maids Causeway too... hmm that will be kinda strange- 1 x 3 anyone?

On a more serious note, I don't know who would be best for Ashado, maybe it is indeed SC, but I haven't looked into it, and to be brutally honest, I don't have the time!

[Contrast]

Storm Cat isn't getting any younger and they're not going to get a whole lot of chances to breed to him in the future. I think it's a smart move.

[kimberley mine]

On a more serious note, I don't know who would be best for Ashado, maybe it is indeed SC, but I haven't looked into it, and to be brutally honest, I don't have the time!

I personally think SC is a great match on paper--far better than the usual "let's go to Storm Cat or AP Indy because they are the leading sires" mantra.

Ashado's pedigree (Saint Ballado over Mari's Book over Blushing Groom) is an extended reverse cross of that of Rahy, whose daughters have been producing exceptionally well with Storm Cat. While Storm Cat has no foals out of Mari's Book mares, he does have a European champion out of a Maribeau mare (MB's damsire).

Going the other way, Saint Ballado over Storm Cat hasn't been the best cross so far, but then the mares involved have not been anywhere near the class of Ashado (at least two either unraced or unplaced), nor is Saint Ballado (in my opinion) near the class of sire as Storm Cat.

[Sam]

I personally think SC is a great match on paper--far better than the usual "let's go to Storm Cat or AP Indy because they are the leading sires" mantra.

Giving the benefit of the doubt here and going with the idea that they aren't breeding to sell, I think this is just a case of "If you are going to do it, now is the time."

Storm Cat's what, 23? At MOST he's got 5 productive years left.